Israeli officials on Saturday reportedly confirmed the Israeli Air Force carried out a strike against Syria and say it targeted a shipment of advanced missiles.

The officials said the shipment was not of chemical arms, but of game changing weapons bound for the terror group Hezbollah. One official said the target was a shipment of advanced, long-range ground-to-ground missiles.

I don’t understand Israel’s game. They degrade Assad’s capabilities and allies, and open up Syria to a buch of rebels with connections to Al Queda and jihadist elements. Even if there are reasonable Syrians opposing Assad, the radical elements will be a problem forever, worse than Egypt, worse than Libya. Israel, on the face of it, is increasing the potential for far worse problems down the road.

Israel, on the face of it, is increasing the potential for far worse problems down the road.

That's the chorus Israel has been facing since before its inception. Clear and present dangers have to be dealt with first. The US and the UN effectively prevent Israel from preventing "worse problems down the road."

There is also the potential for Assad to declare war on Israel and unleash what he has. I don’t understand the thinking of a country that suffers attacks from a neighbor and makes no effort to fight back.

I used to think that we sent too much money to Israel to subsidize its defense. Now I’m saying it was a good investment. They are defending the free world and making it safer when our leader will not do so.

Hezbollah works out of Lebanon. My understanding is that these missiles were on their way there, to be used against Northern Israel. Syria is an Iranian proxy, the shipment was likely en route, on orders from Tehran. These arms were not destined to support Assad, and their destruction was not intended to set back the Syrian rebels - simply a preemptive strike to prevent launches in Lebanon from targeting Israel. Thank you.

Israel's game is not complex. Unlike the US, Israel must deal with threats in front of the horizon, not beyond that horizon. It cannot afford to delay or put off what might be defined as a ticking time bomb-even in the short range time span. Israel has said time and time again that it will prevent “game changing” arsenals from falling into Hizbollah;s hands and, they mean it. The Israelis cannot afford to kick the can down the road as Obama has done 75 times already...

Annihilation: the Palestinians are well under control there, for the most part. That was my read. The business owners use them for the labor the owners don't want to do--dishwashers, waiters, cleaners, farm labor. That's what I saw.

The Arab Catholic guide we had on the Steve Ray tour told us of their persecution by the the Israel government. It's not a story one reads here. I wouldn't have believed it had I not seen it. The Israels have every right in the world to defend themselves. Is is SUCH a one-sided battle. The Israeli whump the holy tar out of the Jihadists every time. They deserve it. Terrorism is a plague on humanity. The same battle goes on in India and Pakistani territories.

The Palestinian said that the Palestinian Muslims and Israeli government have been at it for as long as he remembers. The thing that struck most sour for the Palestinians was the taking of Palestinian land and homes. One guy still has the key to his grandmother's house in former Palestine. Ain't no more Palestine anymore. They LOST the world's shortest war--six days. Get over it. They DO get on with their lives. Most Palestinians don't care who the government leaders are anymore--they mistrust all governments and their leaders.

My read on it. I was only there for three weeks.

WHAT a fabulous trip...Nazareth, Bethlehem, Cana, sea of Galilee (you'll eat "Peter's fish" at the local restaurant) and, of course, Calvary and Our Lord's tomb. I prayed at the rock where Jesus prayed--"Thy will be done." I laid my rosary on the very slab where they laid Jesus right off His Cross. And then, in His Tomb I was able to do nothing but weep and wonder. EVERY Christian should visit the Holy Land.

The TOPPER was eating at a restaurant that was a memorial to Elvis Presley. Harhar, was that ever a nonsequiter or what. Naturally I had the requisite hamburger, fries and chocolate milk shake. Yummers.

There are a couple of photos there. I would post them but I have FORGOTTEN how to post images and graphics.

You should watch some middle east news-—Damascus is disappearing about a block at a time. A century or what they call modernization is disolving by the day. And there will be no source of money, not even from Iran, to re-build Damascus or any of the other krapholes in Syria that are currently being deleted. If the rebels can get their hands on some heavy weapons, like , oh, say some 155’s the whole place will be wasteland forever. Note that the arabs have never been big on re-building anything-—think Babylon. ( try to find the book “Modern Arab Architechture”). Until the whole bunch shakes off those old tribal bitchandmoans they will never quite be ready for the next century.

The Umayyed Mosque there is a wonder. I saw about a dozen imams sitting in a circle around a tall (14 feet or so) structure, made of brass, with a largish top, praying. That top was considered by the mullahs to contain the head of John the Baptist.

They do that 24/7 for this relic.

For the Umayyad Mosque of Aleppo, see Great Mosque of Aleppo. Umayyad Mosque جامع بني أمية الكبير

Location: within Old Damascus Basic information: Location: Damascus, Syria Geographic coordinates: 33°30′43″N 36°18′24″E Affiliation: Islam Region: Levant Status: Active Architectural description Architectural type: Mosque Architectural style: Umayyad Completed 715 Specifications Minaret(s): 3 Materials: Stone, marble, tile, mosaic The Umayyad Mosque, also known as the Great Mosque of Damascus (Arabic: جامع بني أمية الكبير‎, Romanization Ğām' Banī 'Umayya al-Kabīr) or formerly the Basilica of Saint John the Baptist (Greek: Βασιλική του Αγίου Ιωάννη του Βαπτιστή, transliteration Vasilikí tou Agíou Ioánni tou Vaptistí), located in the old city of Damascus, is one of the largest and oldest mosques in the world. It is considered by some Muslims to be the fourth-holiest place in Islam. After the Arab conquest of Damascus in 634, the mosque was built on the site of a Christian basilica dedicated to John the Baptist (Yahya). The mosque holds a shrine which today may still contain the head of John the Baptist, honored as a prophet by both Christians and Muslims alike, and is believed to be the place where Isa (Jesus) will return at the End of Days. The tomb of Saladin stands in a small garden adjoining the north wall of the mosque.

Eternal war. What a waste. Yep, it sucks worse than anything . . . except that pesky alternative of annihilation.

The Palestinians aren't able to annihilate anyone, ever. From my observations they are mostly poor, uneducated and uninformed about much beyond what their mullahs tell them. What a combination.

It's no wonder that the Palestinian Christians, mostly Catholic, come here. They can practice their faith freely.

I saw an odd "parnership" in Israel (not Jerusalem): the land and business owners, mostly Jewish, use the Palestinians to do the work that they, Jews, don't care to do. The Jewish owner of a series of restaurants, uses Palestinian busboys, dishwashers, etc. It was weird to see that, at first, but I soon got used to is.

There doesn't SEEM to be the animosity between those two groups that one might expect. I don't think I ever read anything positive about Palestinians.

Our guide on the Steve-Janet Ray Holy Land tour was a very large, fat Palestinian Arab (of course) Roman Catholic. It was SUCH an interesting tour both with Steve Ray, former Baptist minister (intent of converting those "disillusioned" Catholics) and the Palestinian Catholic. I learned about the Rays from their book "Crossing the Tiber."

To end the tour, the MOST weird part was having lunch at the huge Elvis Presley restaurant there. WEIRD.

THREE hours of mowing and trimming. Wow, you were INSPIRED!! The weeds have to knock at my window before I notice them. I have bad allergies and try to ignore the spring BURST of growth. AAAAAAAHHHHH-CHOO!!!!!!!!!!

Annihilation: the Palestinians are well under control there, for the most part. That was my read.

Except when they deliberately murder the Israeli men, women, children, and babies ...

The business owners use them for the labor the owners don't want to do--dishwashers, waiters, cleaners, farm labor. That's what I saw.

That is just wrong on multiple levels;

Business owners take risk and responsibility and are providing a service by offering anyone employment at all;

In general there are relatively few Palestinians (defined as non-Israeli citizens) employed by Jewish Israelis (there are some, and they are fortunate to have work permits and employment) because, in general, the risk of them murdering people, or being coopted and used to murder people, is too great to allow large numbers without rigorous screening in granting any of them work permits.

You are biased; you assume owners have never done all the work themselves at some point in their lives; have you ever washed dishes for money ? I have; lots of people have done that; work is work; are you too risk averse to start your own business and employ others but so willing to criticize those that do ? Rank hypocrisy

Don't shop for food in this country; too much of it was picked by migrant labor and you wouldn't want to sully yourself doing that work yourself; rank hypocrisy; I have worked in the fields too.

The Arab Catholic guide we had on the Steve Ray tour told us of their persecution by the the Israel government. It's not a story one reads here. I wouldn't have believed it had I not seen it.

What persecution ? providing access to Israeli jobs ? providing access to Israeli electricity ? providing access to Israeli medical care ? Or is it persecution to not allow palestinians free access anywhere in Israel so they can blow up Israelis ? Obviously you swallowed this nonsense but don't expect it to go unchallenged here.

38
posted on 05/04/2013 8:04:16 PM PDT
by af_vet_1981
(The bus came by and I got on, That's when it all began,)

Assad is ass deep in alligators, and needs everything he has just to try to maintain a grip on power. Every transparent piece of agitprop has not helped at all. He could no more attack Israel than he could put a man on the Moon.

41
posted on 05/05/2013 12:22:03 PM PDT
by SunkenCiv
(Yet another concern troll rears his or her head, then surfs back to LewRockwell.com.)

"What persecution ? providing access to Israeli jobs ? providing access to Israeli electricity ? providing access to Israeli medical care ? Or is it persecution to not allow palestinians free access anywhere in Israel so they can blow up Israelis?"

I'm with you on this af_vet_1981.

There are no Arabs or "Persians" who want to help Palestinians by giving them sanctuary, social, or financial support. They only use Palestinians as pawns in their proxy wars against Israel. The Muslims don't give a crap about Palestinians. Israel and the USA has done more for Palestinians than all of the Muslim world combined. And all we get in return is grief and death.

44
posted on 05/06/2013 4:06:39 PM PDT
by uncommonsense
(Conservatives believe what they see; Liberals see what they believe.)

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